Started and Finished: November 6, 2002
Last Episode Seen Before Writing: Lineage
Pairing: Slight Chlark
Rating: PG-13
Category: drama
Spoilers: Lineage
Summary: During Chloe's explanation of where her mother is she has a flashback to the morning when she realized she was gone.
Disclaimer: I do not own them.
Author's Note: This fic is close to my heart. The same thing happened to me when I was 4, so I can relate to Chloe.
Burnt Waffles
"She left when I was five. I came downstairs and there was my Dad trying to make waffles," Chloe said with a quiet laugh. "He never even really explained why she left. It was weird."
"I'm sorry," Clark says sincerely.
Chloe remembers that day. It's seared into her memory…
"Daddy, that smells yucky."
Gabe looked over to see his daughter standing in the kitchen doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he said, scraping the umpteenth batch of burned waffles off of the waffle iron.
The kitchen was littered with flour, bowls of batter, and plates of burned remains of waffles.
"You made a mess. Mommy's gonna be mad," the little girl warned.
Gabe froze, staring down at an imaginary spot on the counter.
Chloe sensed her father's feelings. "Daddy, where's Mommy?" she asked slowly.
Gabe unplugged the waffle iron. "Come here, baby," he said, scooping her into his arms.
"Daddy, don't cry," she said, wiping the tears from his eyes
Gabe tried to smile. "I love you, Chloe."
"I love you, too," the girl answered. "Where's Mommy? She'll make it all better."
Gabe sat on a kitchen chair, setting Chloe on his lap. "Sweetheart, Mommy's gone."
"Where did she go?" Chloe asked, looking around the room.
"She went somewhere far away," Gabe tried to explain.
"When is she coming back?" she asked in confusion.
"Chloe, try to understand. Mommy's not coming back. She left, baby, and she's not coming back," Gabe explained, close to tears.
"No! You're lying!" Chloe exclaimed, jumping from her father's lap. She ran into her parent's room. "Mommy! Mommy where are you?!"
"Chloe," Gabe tried, following her as she ran to her own room.
"Mommy, are you in here?" she called.
"Chloe, she's not here," Gabe said, following her around the house.
Chloe ran into the living room. "Mommy! Mommy!!" she yelled. By this time tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Chloe, sweetie," Gabe tried again.
"No," Chloe whispered, turning to Gabe. "Why did she leave me? She didn't say goodbye. Doesn't she love me anymore?" Chloe raced to Gabe.
Gabe fell to his knees and held tightly to his daughter. "It's going to be okay, baby. Daddy's here. I'll never leave you, sweetheart. We still have each other."
"It's hard thinking you weren't good enough for someone to love," Chloe told Clark, tears in her eyes.
Clark put his hand over Chloe's and looked into her eyes. "Don't ever think that."
And now, after all this time, she doesn't.